Carrot Cake Recipe, A No-Bake Flourless Cake Using Superfoods (2024)

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Carrot Cake Recipe, A No-Bake Flourless Cake Using Superfoods (1)

This is our tried and true carrot cake recipe we commonly make for birthdays or special gatherings. It is a gluten-free flourless cake with no baking required. All you'll need is a food processor for the cake ingredients and a blender for the cashew cream cheese frosting.

While eating a raw carrot cake might seem a bit odd at first, rest assured it is not at all as unappetizing as it may sound.

This particular recipe, we have perfected over the years, offers the best blend of dense cake-like texture and thick, smooth, sweet cheesy frosting. In addition, it also has some of the same flavors as the traditional carrot cake you may be familiar with.

This version, however, is energizing, easy to digest and won't make you feel lethargic.

You can basically eat it for breakfast or as a main meal, not just as adessert. It is especially appropriate after an exercise routine orintensive workout.

It also makes a great alternative to less-than healthy morning muffinsor donuts and is delicious with a cup of hot herbal tea or a Chinesetonic brew.

Carrot Cake Recipe, A No-Bake Flourless Cake Using Superfoods (2)

A Raw Superfood Carrot Cake Recipe

Many of our homemade recipes tend to focus on incorporating as many different superfoods as possible, and we don't stop at dessertrecipes. There is really no reason to when you "can have your cake and eat it too!"

While the main cake portion of this carrot cake recipe is made from coconut flour, ground walnuts, dates, shredded coconut and of course carrots, the rest integrates a few of our top superfood favorites.

We use goji berries instead of raisins and also include bee pollen to boost nutrient levels as well as cordyceps powder known for its revitalizing effects on the adrenals, physical stamina and sexual functions.

Lucuma powder is also the perfect fit for the main cake layer, providing a fine flour-like consistency and lower glycemic index. For the frosting we use either maple syrup or a quality agave blended with the sweetness of cashews and the richness of coconut oil for a thick smooth texture.

Traditional carrot cake spices commonly include cinnamon, we also add in nutmeg, cardamom, coriander, and freshly grated ginger to help activate the digestive fire and increase the delivery of superfood constituents and other nutrients.

Using Fresh Vanilla

We love to use fresh "scrapped" paste from the vanilla bean in many of our dessert recipes. There is nothing quite like the flavor. Powders and extracts just don't compare.

Vanilla beans can be purchased and stored in the fridge until you're ready to use them. Though they can be somewhat costly, about $2-5 a bean, they are well worth the price for the occasional carrot cake recipe or other healthy sweet treat or confection.

When using fresh vanilla, you basically cut the portion you want for your recipe, then slice it lengthwise. From here you can scrap the soft black seedy paste from the center with the back of a butter knife.

For this raw carrot cake you will be using it in both the cake as well as the frosting layer.

Carrot Cake Recipe

Carrot Cake Recipe, A No-Bake Flourless Cake Using Superfoods (3)

Ingredients:

Carrot Cake:

  • 2C carrots (processed fine)
  • 1 1/2C walnuts
  • 1/4C coconut flour
  • 1/4C shredded coconut
  • 1C dates (soaked in 1/2C water)
  • 1/2C lucuma powder
  • 1/2C goji berries
  • 2-4T bee pollen
  • 2T cordyceps powder
  • 1/8 a vanilla bean (scrapped)
  • 2t fresh ginger
  • 2t cinnamon
  • 1t coriander
  • 1/4t cardamom
  • 1/4t nutmeg

Cashew "Cream Cheese" Frosting:

  • 2C cashews (soaked in 1C water)
  • 1/4C lemon juice
  • 1T orange peel zest
  • 3T agave nectar or maple syrup
  • 1/2C coconut oil
  • 1/4 a vanilla bean (scrapped)

Directions:

For the Carrot Cake:

  1. Soak dates in 1/2C water for 30 minutes.
  2. Process the carrots in a food processor until finely chopped. Place in a big bowl.
  3. Process walnuts, bee pollen and dates together. Add to the bowl.
  4. Add 1/4C goji berries and the remaining ingredients and mix either with your clean hands, a spoon or spatula.
  5. Press the cake mixture into a rectangular glass dish or spring-form pan.
  6. Sprinkle the 2T goji on top of this cake layer.
  7. Soak the remaining 2T goji for use as a topping.
  8. Cover cake and refrigerate 1 hour before spreading the frosting layer.

Carrot Cake Recipe, A No-Bake Flourless Cake Using Superfoods (4)

Carrot Cake Recipe, A No-Bake Flourless Cake Using Superfoods (5)

For the Frosting:

  1. Soak 2C cashews in 1C water for several hours.
  2. Blend all frosting ingredients in a high speed blending device.
  3. Spread over goji carrot cake evenly with a frosting spatula.
  4. Top with chopped walnuts, bee pollen, goji berries and orange blossoms or other flowers.

Enjoy this raw carrot cake recipe with family and friends. It makes a great dessert for parties, potlucks or as a birthday cake!

It can be stored in the glass dish in the fridge and will last between 5-6 days. We have also preserved it for much longer in the freezer, if you're not going to consume it within a week.

Carrot Cake Recipe, A No-Bake Flourless Cake Using Superfoods (6)

Carrot Cake Recipe, A No-Bake Flourless Cake Using Superfoods (7)

Carrot Cake Recipe, A No-Bake Flourless Cake Using Superfoods (8)

Precautions:

While bee pollen is a nutritious superfood we love to include in many recipes,especially desserts, as it has a sweet and tangy flavor, for somepeople too much or even a small amount can causeadverse reactions for certain body types or those with allergicsensitivities. It is therefore a good idea to start out with small measurements in this recipe if you are new to consuming it.

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Carrot Cake Recipe, A No-Bake Flourless Cake Using Superfoods (2024)

FAQs

Why not use butter in carrot cake? ›

Carrot cake is oil-based, rather than butter-based. This keeps it moist and helps it last for days. Unfortunately, it also means you lose the leavening power that creaming butter and sugar would bring. (Creaming, or beating together the two ingredients on high speed, aerates the butter.)

Why does my homemade carrot cake fall in the middle? ›

This is because too much batter in one cake tin may result in the weight of the batter being too much for the cake to support, causing the cake to collapse and sink in the middle as it bakes. This is especially true for cake recipes which have a more softer, delicate structure to them, which many of my cake recipes do.

Does carrot cake contain flour? ›

Carrot cake is typically made with the same ingredients you'd find in a lot of other cakes, like flour, oil, baking soda and vanilla extract.

Does carrot cake taste the same without carrots? ›

The misinformation contained in these three sentences boggles the mind. Carrot cake is self-evidently not a pie. Carrots absolutely enhance the flavor of carrot cake—it's not like all their flavor compounds evaporate while the cake is baking.

What makes a cake more moist oil or butter? ›

Why does oil give cake superior texture? Butter is 18% water, so when the batter is baked, some of its liquid evaporates. Replacing the water from the butter with oil means there's more fat left in the cakes to ensure tenderness.

Can I use olive oil instead of vegetable oil in carrot cake? ›

Any dessert recipe that calls for vegetable oil as an ingredient is a perfect chance to swap it for olive oil. In these recipes, the swap would be a one-to-one ratio. In other words, if the recipe calls for one cup of vegetable oil, you would simply use one cup of extra virgin olive oil.

What is the toothpick test on carrot cake? ›

The idea behind this test is you can insert a toothpick or paring knife into the center of the cake to see if the crumb has set. If the tester comes out clean, it's done. If it comes out gummy or with crumbs clinging to it, the cake needs more time in the oven.

Why does carrot cake have to be refrigerated? ›

Even when the cake is baked, bacteria can still grow, so everything still needs to be refrigerated to prevent spoilage and foodborne illness. Carrot cake and frosting are also easier to tame when they're cold, so unless it's time to serve up some slices, keep your cake in the fridge.

Why does carrot cake take so long to cook? ›

* The cake pan could be overfull. A full cake pan takes a lot longer to cook, and you can very easily end up with a cake that is both under, and over cooked.

Why does my carrot cake taste weird? ›

Burnt Ingredients: If any of the ingredients, especially fats like butter or oil, are overcooked or burnt during the baking process, they can impart a bitter taste to the cake. Overmixing: Overmixing the batter can lead to the development of gluten, which can result in a dense and tough texture.

What is the green stuff in carrot cake? ›

The green flecks are carrot but the colour has been changed by the bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) in the mixture. Some pigments are sensitive to pH balances and will change colour if they are in a very acid or very alkaline environment.

What is the healthiest cake to eat? ›

What Type of Cake is Healthy?
  1. Angel Food Cake. Angel food cake is healthy because It does not contain egg yolk and butter. ...
  2. 2 . Flourless Chocolate Cake. ...
  3. 3 . Protein Mug Cake. ...
  4. 4 . Homemade Strawberry Shortcake. ...
  5. 5 . Sugar-Free Carrot and Date Cake. ...
  6. 6 . Pineapple Upside-Down Cake. ...
  7. 7 . Cheesecake. ...
  8. 8 . Red Velvet Cake.

Why did my carrots turn black in my carrot cake? ›

Carrots contain pigments that are sensitive to changes in pH balance. When the shreds of carrot come into contact with the alkaline baking soda, a chemical reaction takes place that causes the pigments to change color.

What is the fancy name for carrot cake? ›

Carrot cake (also known as passion cake) is cake that contains carrots mixed into the batter.

Can I use butter instead of oil in carrot cake? ›

Unlike many other recipes, mine makes use of brown butter instead of oil, a simple swap that layers in some toasty toffee flavors while keeping the cake as moist and rich as those made with oil.

Why does carrot cake call for oil instead of butter? ›

Oil-Based Cakes: Carrot cake recipes often use vegetable oil (e.g., canola or sunflower oil) instead of butter as the primary fat. Oil-based cakes tend to be moister and have a softer, more tender crumb. The mild flavor of vegetable oil also allows the carrot and spice flavors to shine through.

Why is butter not used in cake baking? ›

The water that's present in butter strengthens the gluten in a cake's flour, resulting in a crumb that's more dense and not quite as tender as a cake made with oil.

Why does my carrot cake not taste like carrot? ›

The key to getting an intense carrot flavor in my cake is using two types of carrots: a caramelized carrot puree and finely shredded carrots. Roasted and pureed carrots make this cake intensely carrot flavored. Carrots are a natural source of sugar, and roasting them at a high temperature caramelizes the sugars within.

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